Mold for simultaneously casting a plurality of primarily planar objects



Nov. 30, 1965 P. E. EKLUND 3,220,692

MOLD FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CASTING A PLURALITY OF PRIMARILY PLANAR OBJECTS Filed Nov. 18, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.1

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United States Patent 3,226,692 MGM) FGR SIMULTANEQUSLY CASTING A PLU- RALTTY 0F PRIMARILY PLANAR GBIECTS Per Erik Eirlund, Danderyd, Sweden, assignor to Byggnadsfirman Ohisson & Sirarne AB, Hagersten, Sweden,

a corporation of Sweden Filed Nov. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 324,409 3 Claims. (Ci. 249-161) This invention relates to molds for simultaneously casting a plurality of mainly planar objects with little thickness relative to their area such as wall elements of the height of a story.

Casting mold assemblies consisting of a plurality of mold boxes with laterally displaceable sides or of a plurality of laterally displaceable partitions are already known. Usually two different ways have been used for devising the partitions or the sides of the mold boxes. According to one way the sides of the mold boxes or the partitions in the mold are made strong enough to resist the pressure from the concrete during the casting operation. In accordance with the other way, the sides or partitions are made thinner and support each other during the casting operation. The first-named arrangement suffers from the inconvenience that the sides of the mold boxes or the partitions after the casting operation are very difficult to detach from the cast concrete elements as a result of the fact that the sides or partitions during the casting operation adhere by suction to the casting even if use is made of a mold lubricant. In order to detach the sides of the mold boxes or the partitions they have to be pried or hammered off the cast elements with the frequent result that the edges of the elements are damaged. The other arrangement, that is, the use of thin sides of the mold boxes or thin partitions supporting each other during the casting operation suffers from the inconvenience that it is diflicult to clamp the sides of the mold boxes or the partitions at a uniform and equal pressure acting on the sides or partitions and to obtain clamping actions at equal pressures at the top and bottom of the mold.

The object of the present invention is to provide a mold which, in spite of the fact that the partitions or the mold boxes comprised in the mold are relatively thin and support each other during the casting operation, nevertheless eliminates the above-named inconvenience and results in the advantage that the sides of the mold boxes or the partitions of the mold are clamped at equal and uniform pressures relative to each other as well as at the top and bottom of the mold. In accordance with the invention this object is attained by the fact that each of the mold boxes is composed of a bottom and two partitions displaceable relative to the frame and of two end walls. One of the end walls is detachably clamped between two end portions of the partitions and the other one between the opposite end portions of the partitions, each partition except the outer ones constituting a common wall of two mold boxes. Preferably, the partitions are laterally displaceable longitudinally of the mold by being provided at their top parts with guide rolls or wheels adapted to roll on the longitudinal beams extending along the upper part of the casting mold.

The invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to the annexed diagrammatic drawings in which FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a casting mol-d according to the invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of part of one of the end faces or short sides of the mold according to FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing details of the upper part of the mold. FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary perspective and elevational views, respectively, showing modified details at the lower part of the mold.

The mold comprises a frame 1 made up of horizontal and vertical rigid beams 1a, 1b, 10 which together with mold bottom 13 define longitudinal and end faces of the mold. In the space confined by the beams in, 1b, 10 there is a place for a plurality of mold boxes each consisting of a bottom 14, 14a, partitions 2 and end walls 3 clamped between the partitions. Each bottom 14, 14a can be secured to one adjacent partition 2. Thus as is shown in the cut away parts of FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 a bracing support 14 .is attached to the underside of the partition 2 and projects to the right a distance which is equal to the width of an end wall 3. Upon the support is secured a beam 14a which constitutes the bottom of the mold box. At one end of the mold the vertical beams 1a comprised in the short side of the mold are spaced apart from the outermost partition or Wall 20 of the mold box located nearest this end so as to provide for an intermediate space between said wall 2a and the end face of the frame 1 of the mold. At the upper part of the mold there are provided horizontal longitudinal beams 1b in the form of rails for guide wheels 4. The wheels 4 are journalled in outwardly and downwardly projecting arms 20, 20a at the upper parts of the partitions 2 so that each partition 2 is laterally displaceable together with the mold box bottom 14, 14a secured thereto.

Approximately midway of the height of the frame 1 of the mold substantially vertical clamping arms 6 are mounted on a pivot 5 located on the vertical beams 10 forming the short side or end face of the frame 1 opposite to said intermediate space or gap. Attachments 7 for horizontal detachable pull or tie rods 8 are provided at the ends of the clamping arms at the top and bottom of the frame 1. Near the attachments 7 tightener pistons 9 adapted to be actuated by a medium under pressure are inserted between the clamping arms 6 and the vertical beams 10 at the end face of the mold frame 1.

The pull or tie rods 8 are also secured in any suitable manner to upper and lower parts of the outermost wall or partition 2a of the mold. A pressure balancing piston (known per se and not shown in the drawings) for balancin g the pressure between the tightener pistons 9 can be inserted in the pressurized system for the tightener pistons.

Drive chains 11 driven by motor 12 are provided one on each longitudinal side of the upper part of the mold frame 1. Durin their movement in either direction the upper horizontal parts of the drive chains 11 can be brought to act upon one or more of the partitions 2 which are carried by the guide wheels 4 adapted to roll on the horizontal beams 1b. This can be accomplished by means of displaceable dogs 15 (FIG. 3) which can be inserted between the links of the drive chains 11 so that they act upon brackets 16 provided on the upper parts of the partitions 2 (FIG. 3).

To put the mold in order for casting, the end walls 3 of the mold boxes are fitted in between opposite end portions of the partitions and the pull or tie rods 8 are secured to the ends of the pivotal clamping arms 6 whereupon a fluid medium under pressure is sup-plied to the tightener pistons 9 for pulling the partitions 2 in the mold toward each other so as to obtain mold boxes having predetermined dimensions. The mold is then ready for simultaneous casting of a plurality of wall elements of the height of a story, and the concrete mass can be poured into the mold for producing a wall element in each one of the mold boxes.

After the casting operation the partitions 2 are displaced in a direction opposite to the clamping direction so as to increase the distance between the partitions. To this end, the dogs 15 by means of which the partitions are actuated by the drive chains 11 are inserted between the links of the chains. When the motor 12 is started and moves the drive chains 11 in the direction away from the end face of the mold, where the tightener pistons 9 are located, the dogs 15 will bring about the desired displacement of the partitions 2. Due to the fact that an intermediate space or gap is provided between the outermost mold box and the end face of the mold frame an expansion space 22 is obtained which is sufficient to enable separation of the partitions 2 relative to each other. After having detached the end walls 3 and separated the partitions 2 sufiiciently the completely cast wall elements are ready to be lifted out of the mold.

In order to facilitate detachment of the cast wall elements from the partitions 2, the end walls 3 of the mold boxes according to the modified arrangement shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 can be pivoted outwardly from the mold frame 1. The end walls 3 in that case will be provided with lugs 17 which are journalled on a pivot axis or shaft 18. Instead, the end walls can be pivoted about vertical shafts, not shown.

In order exactly to locate the partitions 2 vertically when in molding position each partition 2 can at its upper and lower portions comprise ears or brackets 19 cooperating with a shaft 18 or the like which is detachably secured to the mold frame 1. In FIGS. 4 and 5 the shaft 18 also constitutes the pivotal shaft for adjacent end wall 3. However, separate elements can be used for the two purposes.

The bottom of the mold boxes must not necessarily be movable together with adjacent partition 2. Instead, for instance only one unmovable bottom (not shown) can be used for all mold boxes, the partitions 2 being displaceable relative to that bottom.

The invention is not limited to the diagrammatically illustrated embodiments, as these may be modified within the scope of the claims. As regards the construction of most of the details comprised in the mold these details may be modified to a high degree without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A mold for simultaneously casting a plurality of concrete elements with a low ratio of thickness to area such as one-story wall elements, comprising a pair of spaced horizontal parallel beams, a plurality of hanging leasably clamping in assembled relation a plurality of said hanging mold boxes with a said bottom wall and a pair of said end walls between each adjacent pair of partitions, and means mounting said end walls for movement relative to said partitions between a position between said partitions and a position outside said partitions.

2. A mold as claimed in claim 1, and drive chain means extending along and parallel to said beams and connectable with said mold boxes for varying the distance between said partitions.

3. A mold as claimed in claim 1, the last-named means comprising means mounting said end walls adjacent their lower ends for vertical swinging movement away from each other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,118,504 11/1914 McLeod 18-6 1,219,131 3/1917 Moore 25-121 1,421,748 7/ 1922 Willard.

2,495,100 1/1950 Henderson 25120 2,916,795 12/1959 Henderson 25121 3,075,240 1/1963 Casavina et a1 25-121 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,050,967 10/1957 France. 1,117,022 11/1961 Germany.

177,229 3/ 1922 Great Britain.

1. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT F. WHITE, WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON,

Examiners. 

1. A MOLD FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CASTING A PLURALITY OF CONCRETE ELEMENTS WITH A LOW RATIO OF THICKNESS TO AREA SUCH AS ONE-STORY WALL ELEMENTS, COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED HORIZONTAL PARALLEL BEAMS, A PLURALITY OF HANGING MOLD BOXES EACH COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT PARTITION EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE BEAMS AND A HORIZONTAL BOTTOM WALL CARRIED BY THE PARTITION AND A SPACED UPRIGHT PAIR OF END WALLS, EACH PARTITION HAVING A PAIR OF ARMS ADJACENT ITS TOP, ONE SAID ARM EXTENDING OVER EACH SAID BEAM, WHEEL MEANS SUPPORTING EACH SAID ARM ON ITS UNDERLYING BEAM FOR ROLLING MOVEMENT THEREALONG, EACH PARTITION AND ITS ASSOCIATED BOTTOM WALL HANGING FROM AND BEING SUPPORTED BY ITS ASSOCIATED ARMS AND BEING DISPOSED BELOW AND BETWEEN SAID BEAMS, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY CLAMPING IN ASSEMBLED RELATION A PLURALITY OF SAID HANGING MOLD BOXES WITH A SAID BOTTOM WALL AND A PAIR OF SAID END WALLS BETWEEN EACH ADJACENT PAIR OF 